“I didn’t really go on vacations,” I mumble.
The truth is that I didn’t have the greatest childhood.I never knew who my dad was.I’m not sure that my mom did either.She jumped from guy to guy quite a bit.I swear, she changed boyfriends the way that some people change clothes.
It took me until I was twelve or thirteen to realize that she was a gold digger and was only with the guys for their money.Unfortunately for her, she could never convince any of them to marry her.They would use her, buy her a few nice things, and then dump her.
I went from one rich man’s house to another until I graduated high school a few years ago.That was when my mom sat me down and told me it was my turn to take care of the two of us.
She tried to teach me how to seduce a man and how to spot the wealthy ones, but I was never interested.I didn’t want to use people.I didn’t even want to date anyone.Not after watching her my whole life.She never made dating look fun, so why would I want to follow in her footsteps?I never wanted to be like her.
She was pissed when I said no, and I knew that things weren’t going to improve, so I left.I moved out right before my nineteenth birthday and lived in a few small towns before I landed in Wolf Valley.It was the first place that felt right, like home.
I’m still short on money and struggling to make ends meet, but at least I have friends here, people I know would help me if something bad happens.People like Cameron, my roommate and friend.People like Ransom.
Stop thinking about him!Nothing can happen between you two.You don’t want to wind up like your mom.What would happen if it turned out that he was just after me for one thing?
Deep down, I know that Ransom isn’t like that.No guy would go through so much work just to sleep with someone.Ransom is handsome, so I know he could go to one of the bars in town and have no problem picking someone up, but he never does.As far as I can tell, he goes to the diner and home.
“I’m sure Ford would have taken Cameron and me home,” I tell him.“You don’t have to walk me home all the time.”
“I don’t mind it.I like hanging out with you.You know, we could do this over dinner sometime.”
“No thanks,” I rush to say before I can be tempted.
Ransom does tempt me, though.No one ever has before him, but there’s just something about the grumpy biker that calls to me.We click.
Stop thinking about him,I order myself.
It’s been like this since the beginning.I’m not used to being at war with myself.It’s hard to reconcile my feelings for Ransom with what I promised myself as a kid.
You don’t need a man, even one as seemingly perfect as Ransom.
It’s getting harder and harder to believe that.
“So, no vacations?I didn’t go on many, either.Most of mine were just to the beach.We went to Vegas once when I turned twenty-one, but that was it.Money was pretty tight.”
“Same.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him about my mom and her dating habits, to open up to him a bit, but I freeze.I don’t want to tell him.I can’t.I’d hate it if he looked at me differently afterward.
Being the daughter of the town’s trollop made it hard to make friends.Everyone seemed to give me a wide berth.I actually preferred that to the whispered snickers as I passed them in the hallway or the guys who asked if I was as flexible as my mom.
I shudder at the memory, and Ransom slips his jacket off and wraps it around my shoulders, mistaking my shudder of disgust for my being cold.
“Thanks,” I mumble.
“Are you close with your parents?”He asks, and I’m thankful I can see my house just up ahead.
This isn’t a conversation that I want to have, so I answer him vaguely.
“No, not really.I haven’t talked to my mom in a few years.What about you?”
“My dad passed away a few years ago, and I never really knew my mom.She left my dad and me when I was a little kid.”
“I’m sorry, Ransom.That’s so shitty.”
“It was, but my dad was the best.I never really missed her.”
“You’re lucky then to have had him.”
